From Acupuncture to Yoga

Archive for September, 2011

Hypnosis is a therapy that can be used for a number of health and well-being issues.

It helps to understand the truth behind it before you jump in with both feet (especially if you are a first timer!). Here we take a close look at the practice of hypnosis.

How can hypnosis be defined?

Generally speaking, hypnosis can be thought of as a relaxed and focused state of concentration. Many people believe that it is similar in nature to sleep. In reality it is quite different. The brain enters into a very specific state of being when it becomes open to suggestion. It is not an unusual or strange state of mind and many people feel very normal when they are in hypnosis while others feel like they are in a trance-like state.

Before trying out hypnosis you may wonder what it will feel like. Do not worry as you have nothing to be nervous about. Not everyone experiences hypnosis in exactly the same way and not everyone describes their experience in similar terms. Some people feel as if their body is lighter and they are floating on a cloud while others feel as if their body has gotten heavier.

One thing that most people who have hypnosis agree upon is that it makes them feel very good. The relaxation they feel is tremendous. Hypnosis quiets and calms the mind and soothes and relaxes the body.

The reason why hypnosis is often described as being just like sleep is because it mimics the feeling an individual has as they are just drifting off to sleep (referred to as the alpha state). The alpha state is a state that is dreamy, soothing and very pleasant. During this period of time the mind is open to having visualizations and by so doing a rich sensory experience. This is comparable to how hypnosis feels. The more an experience becomes real in the subconscious mind the more it will have an effect on your behavior when awake.

What you may not realize is that hypnosis is a state of mind that is quite normal and is one that most of us experience on a daily basis. When you are reading a book or watching a movie and become totally engrossed in it to the exclusion of other things in your surroundings then that is a form of hypnosis.

When you listen to music that captures a certain mood you can become hypnotized by it. If you lose track of time and place or if someone has to call out your name a few times then you are in hypnosis. There are many different examples of this from everyday life, and so anybody that thinks they cannot be hypnotized… you already have, but didn’t know it.

On the other hand most hypnotherapists will tell you if somebody comes to them believing they cannot be hypnotized then they’ll make a poor subject for the hypnotists to take on and help.

Continue onto part two of this series to learn more about the truth as it pertains to hypnosis.

Are you an avid eater of avocados? Avocados are often believed to be a vegetable, when they are actually a fruit.

They do taste more like a vegetable and are often used more in a vegetable capacity. They are also a green wonder food that is rich in antioxidants. But that is not all – eating avocados can improve your longevity and can help to slow down the aging process.

There are different varieties of avocados. The avocado is shaped like a pear although some varieties are more round in nature. Their size can be anywhere from one ounce to up to four pounds. The time of year when avocados are most readily available is late winter and early spring although most grocery stores and markets have them available practically year round (be aware that when they are out of season they may be more expensive to purchase!).

Avocados are used to make guacamole which is a popular dip for everything from crackers to chips to carrot sticks. They are also often used in the making of salads as well as in breads, main dishes and some desserts. If you have never tried an avocado or do not eat them regularly then you are missing out on the many anti-aging benefits that they possess!

Avocados are very tasty and they are choked full of nutrients that can help the body to heal itself and also can help you to live a longer and healthier life. It helps to know the good that can be found in this delicious fruit.

The Goodness of Avocados:

When it comes to antioxidants, avocados come out a winner! They are full of many nutrients that can do your body plenty of good! They are a rich source of antioxidants and they protect bodily organs and tissues from damage that occurs over time and as a person ages. Antioxidants are also excellent warriors when they come up against the free radicals that can damage and destroy cells throughout the body.

Avocados contain folate which is a micronutrient that the body needs to be healthy. If you consume a cup of avocados this will provide you with approximately 23 percent of the folate that you require on a daily basis. Folate is very good for the heart. Individuals who consume the appropriate amount of folate reduce their potential for heart attacks by as much as 55 percent.

Avocados contain potassium. In fact a cup of avocados will provide you with approximately 25 percent of your daily recommended dosage of potassium. Potassium will help to keep your heart and your arteries as healthy as can be. Potassium is also capable of reducing the risk of high blood pressure and the worry over having a stroke.

Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat (which makes it a healthy fat) found in avocados that can lower bad (LDL) cholesterol while at the same time increasing the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol in the blood. This is yet another reason to eat avocados.

For some people avocados are an acquired taste while other people enjoy the taste of them from the very first bite. It is important to point out that despite its many health benefits avocados are high in calories. For example a cup of avocados equals approximately 235 calories. For this reason you should enjoy avocados for their anti-aging benefits but you should not overindulge in them due to the high calorie count!

There are some alternative therapies that have successfully made the transition into conventional medicine while others still have not crossed over.

For instance many medical doctors will recommend massage therapy or acupuncture as part of the overall treatment plan for their patients. Let us take a brief look at the options that are available to you.

Acupuncture has been used for healing in China for 1000’s of years. It involves the insertion of needles along the meridian lines of the body in order to open up neural pathways that have become blocked. This therapy can be used for any number of health problems.

Massage therapy is often as soothing and rejuvenating as it is relaxing to the body and mind. It involves the manipulation of the joints and muscles of the human body in order to relieve stress and improve circulation. Many sports medicine clinics advocate this for injury recovery athletes.

Chiropractic therapy involves hands on adjustments made to the spine and the adjoining structures. Manual manipulation can lead to a healthier spine which can in turn lessen the risk that injuries will take place. Doctors of chiropractic can help their patients with back and neck problems, as well as headaches, joint problems such as arthritis, hand and wrist pain as well as problems with the feet.

Meditation is something that one can learn to do on one’s own. It can be used to treat everything from heart conditions to high blood pressure to panic attacks.

Herbs are a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and can be either taken by mouth or rubbed on various areas of the body to treat sicknesses and/or injuries. You have lots to choose from if you decide to give herbal therapy a try.

Hypnosis or hypnotherapy leverages the power of your subconscious mind to overcome challenges and a skilled and experienced practitioner can help with bad habits, weight loss, confidence, stress and anxiety, phobias, and many other dis-empowering thoughts and barriers to you reaching your goals.

Other types of alternative methods of therapy you may have heard of include Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, music therapy and pet therapy. There are other lesser known kinds but these are the alternative treatments that are most often talked about and put into practice.

What you choose to try is entirely up to you. It helps to have an open mind and to be able to identify exactly what you are looking to achieve through the treatments method(s) you put to use. The various practitioners of each one of these therapies can explain to you how each therapy works and the purpose of it to the healing process.

You can ask as many questions as you like in order to figure out if it is a treatment that appeals to you and can help you to feel better. Explore as many therapies and as many practitioners as you need to in order to zero in on what can offer the most benefits to you.

The only risk in trying any of these therapies is that they don’t work for you. In reality many people going through traditional medicine have reached the same point as well.

Alternative treatments of therapy have been around for many centuries and have developed through the health and medical knowledge of the practitioners.

Many of the popular alternative treatments have shown success and brought healing to those who have undergone them. There are those – both past and present – who would not want to be without alternative treatments to help them live healthy and productive lives! These treatments can be suitable for practically everyone if they give them a chance.

At present many of these alternative treatment methods have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In some cases not enough research has been done to provide conclusive results of the validity of these alternative therapies.

Alternative medicine and alternative methods of healing are not meant as a substitute for Western medicine and treatment methods but rather as a complement to them. The medical and science community has been slow to embrace alternative treatments but inroads are being made which are promising. Everyone must decide for themselves whether they wish to go down the alternative road or stay within the realm of traditional medicine, or a bit of both.

The fact that the medical community has not made up its mind about alternative treatments does not mean that these treatments are not capable of preventing sickness or offering healing for health conditions. What every person needs to do is to take responsibility for their own health and their own bodies and to be proactive.

Research the options available to you in the alternative health world as well as the options in the world of conventional medicine and then from there choose the treatments that are most fitting for your condition. In some cases more than one treatment therapy may be combined to get you back on the road to healing and improved health.

The more you know about alternative therapies the easier it will be for you to compare them to traditional Western therapies. Once you have gathered enough information then you can discuss your options with your healthcare practitioner, a specialist you are seeing or an alternative health practitioner. Some medical doctors are more open to the possibilities that alternative and natural healing methods hold for healing than are others.

It is important to know that alternative therapies are not just focused on treating the symptoms of a disease, illness or infection but look at the entire body and seek to bring everything back into proper harmony for optimum health. The emphasis as well is not just on getting you well but keeping you well and this unfortunately is where traditional medicine breaks down as the emphasis is on reactive medicine and no the proactive kind.

When it comes to your face you need to take care of it because it cannot and will not take care of itself.

Here we offer you some face saving tips that can help you in your quest to save face today, tomorrow and every day!

There are three S’s that are considered to be an evil trio when it comes to your facial skin and the aging process. They include smoke, stress and sun. All of these factors can play a dramatic role in the number of wrinkles that you have on your face as well as the severity of them. If you smoke give serious thought to quitting. If you live with a great deal of stress then find ways to effectively cope with it. Always use sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun.

When it comes to sun protection, choose a SPF of at least 30. If possible avoid direct sunlight, particularly between the hours of 10AM and 4PM. A great deal of skin aging has to do with too much exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Not only do you need to wear sun block but you should use a quality antioxidant skin cream that will protect you from the acceleration of the aging process as well as the development of melanoma.

By doing these things your face should not age as quickly.

Exercise on a regular basis as this helps to maintain good circulation. It is recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Moderate exercise is not only good for the skin but it also improves the health of your cardiovascular system, improves your immune system function, controls your weight and protects you from many age related and degenerative diseases.

Your teeth are not just there for chewing purposes or to give you a pretty smile.

Your teeth, as well as your jaw bone, works in unison to hold your facial skin in the correct position. For this reason you need to take good care of your teeth and gums. Make your oral health care a top priority in your life. Do what you can at home but also see your dentist on a regular basis.

Remember that the basics count for a lot when it comes to the health of your skin. Stay hydrated by consuming enough water every day. Do not allow your body to become dehydrated. In the same way get the sleep you need. Most people need in the range of seven to eight hours on a daily basis.

Eat a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds. Eat blueberries to help your face stay young. Blueberries are choked full of antioxidants that are able to fight free radicals that damage the skin.

Introduce flaxseed oil to your diet if you have not already. Flaxseed oil is one of the richest vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids and is important in keeping the skin well lubricated, supple and youthful in appearance.

Say no to alcoholic beverages (or at least cut back on them). Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body that can also affect the skin. It also adds toxins to a body that is already dealing with chemicals from the air and from food. If you absolutely cannot go without alcohol then choose red wine which contains some beneficial antioxidants.